(19)

(11)

EP 1 060 584 A1

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 20.12.2000 Bulletin 2000/51 (21) Application number: 98953675.0 (22) Date of filing: 16.10.1998

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: H04H 1/02, H04N 5/445, H04N 5/50, H04N 7/08, H04N 7/10 (86) International application number: PCT/US9821/991 (87) International publication number: WO 9921/308 (29.04.1999 Gazette 1999/17)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE (30) Priority: 17.10.1997 US 953031 17.10.1997 US 953035 (71) Applicant: Sony Electronics Inc. Park Ridge,New Jersey 07656 (US)	(72) Inventors: MUGURA, Kazuto San Francisco, CA 94107 (US) NOGUCHI, Fujio Cupertino, CA 95014 (US) OTA, Takaaki San Diego, CA 92128 (US) (74) Representative: DeVile, Jonathan Mark  D. Young & Co.,21 New Fetter Lane London EC4A 1DA London EC4A 1DA (GB)